What happened when I popped my liberal bubble and talked with Alabama voters

The Alabama/California Conversation Project is a collaboration between AL.com and Spaceship Media, a journalism nonprofit that facilitates engagement between communities at odds. Since Dec. 14, a group of about 25 women from Alabama who supported Trump and 25 women from California's San Francisco Bay Area who supported Clinton have been in nearly constant conversation. Swaicha Chanduri, of Oakland, California, is one of those women.

By Swaicha Chanduri, a public school educator in the San Francisco Unified School District, lives in Oakland with her husband and their 1-year-old son.

Roll Tide! One month ago, I had no idea what that meant. One month ago, I'd never really thought about people living in Alabama. Two months ago, neither of those things mattered to me.

However, on the morning of November 9, as I was driving my hybrid vehicle to work, listening to the entire left-wing media have a complete melt down on NPR, I heard a polling statistic that really stuck with me: Clinton lost with college-educated white women. College educated white women? I was stunned. Who were these women? What were they thinking? How was it possible that they voted for Trump? I truly wanted to know. I truly wanted to understand. I truly wanted to change their minds.

I joined the Alabama/California Conversation Project because I realized that I am part of the problem. I had dismissed and ignored a portion of the electorate that is angry and feels that no one is listening to their problems because I didn't think they would win. I disengaged because I disagree. I unfriended on Facebook; I avoided difficult conversations; I stopped asking questions.

I saw no problem with retreating further and further into my liberal bubble until I found myself on the losing side. Silence is dangerous, but talking without listening is divisive. So, flash forward to now. Here I am, opening myself up with an open mind to 50-plus strangers on Facebook. And, well, let's just say, I'm glad there are no dry counties in California!

This experience has been everything: Uplifting, maddening, depressing, thought-provoking, you name it. The thread about climate change gave me anxiety. The one about healthcare provided me with a different perspective. The comments on welfare and government assistance angered me to my core and I came very close to quitting that day.

But then, something interesting happened over the holidays when I explained this project to my family and friends. I found myself getting defensive when anyone would begin a statement with a generalized "these people" or "all Trump supporters." I found myself offering a different point of view. I found myself thinking about women in Alabama.

After participating in this group, it's not hard to figure out why this country is so partisan and divided. Because listening to each other, truly listening to different perspectives and having productive respectful dialogue, is damn hard.

When I'm responding to a question, my process is to usually yell at my computer, furiously type, stop, erase, furiously type, stop, yell, calm down and then think more deeply about my words.

As difficult as this is to do, when I take the time to think more deeply about the words I write, I tend to also think more deeply about the words I hear. And that is always worthwhile.

Don't misunderstand, I'm not running out and voting Republican next time around, nor am I less concerned with a Trump presidency, but that was never the point. I believe what I believe and I believe that I am right, but so does everyone. So for me, moving forward means more listening, more conversations and more women in Alabama.